It's curtains for Ceann Comhairle
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WERE Louis the XIV around today, the Sun King would likely be envious of the lavish style that John O'Donoghue brought to public office.
With almost 500,000 people now on the dole, and in the eye of the worst economic recession in our history, the scandalous litany of expenses run up by Mr O'Donoghue fell like a whiplash across the backs of taxpayers.
Such extravagance at a time of such hardship -- and the disdain which was reflected in his cavalier attitude to spending public money on petty private luxuries -- has whipped up a boiling cauldron of public anger.
This is the man who a year ago thought it appropriate to spend €11,000 on curtains to appoint his quarters in the Dail.
It is the same man who took two attempts to say sorry for running up wildly extravagant expenses while Minister for Sport and Culture. Even then, he had the bad grace to suggest that a minister would hardly be aware of all the travel arrangements made by mere minions. The implication was that had he known people were off booking expensive five star hotel rooms and organising limousines to drive him from one airport terminal to another, he would surely have put a stop to such self-indulgent madness.
This canard was blown out of the water last weekend when it emerged that Mr O'Donoghue brought his rich tastes to the office of the Ceann Comhairle. All that this appalling burlesque is missing is a declaration of "let them eat cake".
The taxpayer is resigned to footing the bill for many political errors, but the price of the hubris displayed by Mr O'Donoghue is too high and his downfall was therefore inevitable. At a time when Taoiseach Brian Cowen needs all the authority he can muster to push through the most difficult Budget in the history of the state, the cumulative impact of Mr O'Donoghue's actions has been disastrous.It is said that arrogance is a kingdom without a crown. Those who hold public office must know that they are there to serve, not be served. It is time to restore integrity and values to Irish public life, and to dethrone once and for all any self-styled emperors who merely help themselves.
Irish Independent
